…and by that, I mean they finally got Chandler Parsons into his stockings and ready to friggin’ play an NBA game again! And stockings is very apt, have you seen his leggings these days?! Looks like an elf! Well, of course you haven’t seen him “these days”, he’s barely played at all! Stupid knees… I tried Googling an image of “Chandler Parsons legs”, but that just got my safe search in all sorts of trouble… Knees; who needs em?! At least he’s not as bad an investment asIan Mahinmi is looking to be on the Wizards… Awwww, boo, too soon! I’m a little frustrated with knee injuries these days, OK?!

After barely playing 100 total minutes through his first 6 games due to offseason knee operations, Parsons got back on the court last night after over another month off due to a knee bruise to the other knee. My silver lining was always that it gave the surgically repaired knee another stretch to recover, so hopefully after another round of easing-in, we can finally see if he’s going to be that fantasy stalwart I expected on this Grizzlies team. Of course, it doesn’t help his “easing-in” timetable that the Grizzlies are somehow 19-12 despite all their injuries, but ya know! Got 15 minutes off the bench for a paltry 2/2/2/0/0 line, but this was always going to take a minute. So hike up your stockings, activate him off your IL, and if he’s somehow available add him immediately, because 2017 is a new year and right around the corner. Either way, I’ll still find myself Googling Parsons all the time! Here’s what else went down last night in fantasy basketball action:

Giannis Antetokounmpo – 13-14 FT last night, after 13-15 the night before. Stop hacking, Cavs! Remember when FT% was an issue with his game? It’s up to 78.5% now, so everything for Greek is coming nicely together.

Jabari Parker – 27 points and stretched his game again for those newly-found triples. 4-5 from deep, and also just went 1-1 at the FT line, which was nice after blowing Tuesday night’s game at the stripe…

Malcolm Brogdon – Congrats, Broggy, you’ve been just good enough to make no one ownable at PG! 11/5/7/3/0 with a trey in a great 27 minutes, but no way I’d be relying on him in a 12er. And with Matthew Dellavedova down to 25 minutes last night and not doing much of anything lately, we have another team without an ownable PG. Ironic for a Kidd team!

Iman Shumpert – As expected, DeAndre Liggins started for J.R. Smith (thumb surgery, so will be out a while), but Liggins was blah and Shumpert was always the guy you wanted. Well, wanted is relative, more as a streamer… 10/3/4/1/1 with 3 treys from Shump, but I don’t think Shump is going to make your SG great again.

Kyrie Irving – Ugh, stupid monster game! Totally woulda taken him for 30 if I knew on the Pod Smiff would be hurt… 31/6/13.

Zach LaVine – Man, he just looks sooooo good out there! 18/4/2/1/1 on 5-12 shooting (4-8 3PTM 4-4 FT). He starts the 2nd quarter (usually, wasn’t watching at that point) and the 4th (definitely did was watching then!) as combo PG with Kris Dunn, and he could totally run a team. If passes aren’t there, he just takes fadeaway threes that seem ill-advised, but he buries him! I’m in love.

Dennis Schroder – Well, only 1 TO, but no steals this time… I don’t think he’s gestalt though, I like his game even though the metrics will hate on it!

Paul Millsap – Started at C since Dwight Howard is old and always has old issues. 18/10/7/2/0 with no TO. Wait, isn’t Millsap older?! Hah!

Kyle Korver – Dude, the Hawks wings – I’m guessing just because I love mentioning that irony – are in some sort of Twilight Zone warp going on right now. Things did get stretched out – Tim Hardaway stretched his groin and only played 1 minute, stretching out Korver and Thabo’s minutes. Korver for 10/5/3/0/4 – yes 4 blocks! – and Thabo Sefolosha went 4/6/1/4/0. Not to mention Kent Bazemore going 9/4/1/0/4… Yes 4 blocks there too! Everyone getting 4’s in the D stats! Hardaway was able to get back to the bench and stayed on the bench all game, so it sounds precautionary. I don’t think I feel good about any of these wings as a must-hold still…

Mike Muscala – Mikey Manbun got 30 minutes with the added need for a big man, going 16/4/0/1/0 with 3 treys, but even with Dwight being old, it sounds like he’s close to returning and there’s not much to see here.

Marc Gasol – Absolutely ridiculous. I love that this Grizzly had all sorts of question marks coming off a broken foot in a bad spot, but he takes off into by far a career year, and Parsons, wellllll, yeah… I hate fantasy basketball sometimes! 38/5/4/2/2 for an epic rainbow, shooting an absurd 14-17 FG with 2 treys and 8-11 FT.

Taking Andre Drummond on isos late into the game! Look at poor Dre throwing his arms up in disgust… Marcy Marc was in a little bit of a dry spell shooting 12-44 the 2 games before this, but he’s been phenomenal and one of the biggest surprises to me. Being able to keep the FG% at that 45-46 range – while going from 0.1 to 3.7 3s/per game (making 1.6 per no less!) – and still doing everything else… Man he fits this new NBA landscape of everyone taking 3s and the uptempo Fizdale system.

Mike Conley – Another Debbie Downer going 9/5/4/2/0 with 3 treys. Meh, was in 24 minutes and you kinda expected lower run and definitely expected lower numbers off the injury, but at least he’s out there!

Zach Randolph – Only 19 minutes off the bench, as Fizdale ran 11 guys over 10 minutes. He’s not must-own in 12ers, but I’m still not hesitating to stream him when I need those sweet, sweet Pts/Rebs.

Jon Leuer – StanVan keeps threatening a line-up change, but for fantasy, shizz is working for Leuer! 18/6/1/0/1 with a trey in 30 nice minutes. If you’ve owned Leuer through the ups and downs, you def want him to stay in that 6th man role.

Marcus Morris – Goes into these horrible ruts, but weird game last night… Only 1-11 FG, but 10-14 FT for 12/5/0/0/0. It’s an awful game, but at least he was aggressive!

Russell Westbrook – As his REL owner, he can have 4 TO every game and I’d be fine with that! 42/10/7/1/0 on 12-26 shooting with 16-18 FT. Def employing the “run really fast at people and take a tough layup and get the call most of the time” strategy. I think they teach that at kid’s summer camps…

Alex Abrines – Who?! 30 minutes off the bench playing the extra Victor Oladipo minutes (still out with the wrist), going 18/2/1/1/0 with 5 treys. The rookie from Spain has a nice perimeter shot, but there’s nothing to see here. Maybe an REL style flier in 20ers, that’s about it.

Joffrey Lauvergne – Took a lot of Domantas Sabonis‘s minutes, going 10/6/3/2/0 with no TO in 25 bench minutes. I’d be worried though if I was Lauvergne, I bet his wine will be poisoned after watching a dumb play about him…

Jrue Holiday – 35 minutes and got that dimebag! 23/4/10/1/0 with 2 treys, and it’s so good to see him playing well.

Terrence Jones – 34 minutes off the bench for 21/2/1/1/1. I’d be feeling better if his extended run off the bench was translating a little better to winning basketball, but ya know… At this point, I might be trying to sell high, especially if you’re not a FT punt (3-5 last night). I still have those injury concerns, as every former Tjones owner would…

Kelly Oubre – Only 22 minutes off the bench, and that fun stretch of big minutes seems to be waning. Sure he had 5 fouls, but yeah, you are moving on in 12ers and maybe even 14ers.

Otto Porter – Especially frustrating Oubre didn’t get the added run with Porter only getting through 12 minutes before back spasms flared up, and kept him out the second half. Porter got treatment and maybe could’ve returned, so thankfully this sounds minor.

Taj Gibson – I haven’t really written much on Taj this year… 17/11/2/0/3 in a great game, and he’s quietly having one of his best seasons. Although I don’t understand how vets get worse and worse at FT as their careers go on! 1-3 FT last night, and even though the volume is low, 65% on the year…

Nikola Mirotic – A few Miro comments lately, wondering if there needs to be further patience here. I was low on him coming into the year, but 11/6/0/0/1 last night and another 3 treys, so might as well see where this mini-spurt goes.

Patrick Beverley – YESSSSS!!!! Although he has one of the best games of his career, and it comes WITHOUT a steal?!?!?! What in the world is going on?!??!! 18/9/9/0/1 on 7-11 FG (2-3 3PTM 2-2 FT). What a boss. I’m so happy I was able to scoop him up right when he returned in several RCLs. D’Antoni system! Sure this was against the Suns, but PBev can shower me with these golden stats all he wants!

Eric Gordon – Another 7 treys off the bench. 3.7 treys a game. I didn’t apply my D’Antoni boner to him! I guess I need to remember several people can fit under a pitched tent…

Montrezl Harrell – 28 minutes as the starting C this time. D’Antoni said it would be matchup based on who he would play at the 5, and it worked well this time! 17/3/3/0/3 on 8-11 shooting. I literally just took a 3 minute break and tried to get him in all my RCLs, stupid Razzball readers being ahead of the curve! Available in 1, waivers in 1, owned in 3. Ugh, stop being good at fantasy basketball adds, Razzball Nation! …wish I stayed up late enough to watch this game though… Anywho, I’m not the biggest Harrell guy, but in 28-30 minutes (when he gets that kind of run), he should fall his way into stats.

T.J. Warren – Well, that changed quickly! After Slim and I had a moment of silence for Warren recapturing his early-season magic, he bounced back suddenly last night for 19/5/0/1/1 on 9-17 shooting. Maybe the Rockets cure all evils?! I think I’m flip flopping and buying back in, I’m seeing 31 minutes from P.J. Tucker and no other real hurdles to get 30ish MPG again if he’s feeling right. That said, this nebulous “head injury” he returned from still scares me a little.

Devin Booker – 28/6/7/0/0 with only 1 TO. Hit 2 treys, and got the D’Antoni effect in this one! Still love his upside, but 41% shooting with 2.6 TO to 3.1 AST isn’t getting my motor going in redraft. I might try to sell high off this one.

DeMarcus Cousins – Fresh off mouthpiecegate, 21/8/3/0/1 on 5-18 shooting and somehow the Kings still won this game…

Ty Lawson – Sadly, here’s one of your key reasons why… 19/5/1/1/0 on 7-11 shooting in 26 minutes, and Joerger was pitching his own tent for him in his postgame remarks. Darren Collison gets only 22 minutes of 8/1/1/0/0 and didn’t play in the 4th. There’s no way I would rely on Lawson, it’s just enough to make me think Colly can go in 10ers. I’d hold out in RCLs though.

Garrett Temple – 28 minutes again! 11/2/2/0/0 on 4-7 shooting with 3 treys is semi-usable, as the Kings are finding the weirdest way to string a couple wins together.

Gordon Hayward – Finds his shot again after Labradoodle-central 2 nights ago, going 9-18 for 28/10/3. Still, losing to the Kings at home?!

Rudy Gobert – His scoring is mad surprising! 17/14/1/1/3 with no TO, and turning into an absolute stud. Why couldn’t you do this last year, Rudy?! Stupid FIBA wearing out his legs… Up to 12.4 PPG on the year and it’s at 14.8 in December.

C.J. McCollum – Man, the Blazers are in a tailspin… Losing at home to the Mavs?! They’ve now dropped 8 of their last 9 and searching for answers… Didn’t help C.J. McYiddish went 5-16, but at least got some swats going 13/2/2/0/2.

Al-Farouq Aminu – Returned after 9 days off due to a back issue, going 5/6/2/2/0 on 1-4 shooting. Yawn.

J.J. Barea – Left after 9 minutes due to Achilles soreness. Yes, same issue as Dirk Nowitzki, although Barea did have a lower calf strain that kept him out prior to these last few games, which is connected to your Achilles. I wouldn’t be surprised to see the kid’s gloves come out here too, I mean, Barea is the size of a child!

Dwight Powell – Nothing else too interesting for the Mavs, except Powell is suddenly bringing the blocks, going 9/8/0/3/2 in 24 minutes on only 1-2 FG. 7-9 FT though! After 0 blocks in 6 straight games, he has 5 the past two. Meh, still feels more like a 12er streamer at best for me.

We’ve got our Pod coming out on Christmas eve, but for the Daily Notes, this will be my last one until after Christmas… So have a very happy holiday with your family, curl up around the fireplace with some NBA on, and I’ll catch you next Tuesday morning!

Traded oladipo Frazier for lavine just before the oladipo fall and I think I’m in Love with lavine,almost as much as the platonic jb-KCP love…this kid is the real deal and even yesterday,when his shot wasn’t falling made 3-4 tough off balance shots and contributed all around…merry Christmas to all the razzball crew,enjoy the holidays !!

On Warren. Mysterious head injury could be vertigo which could still linger for few more weeks. Then again, why is it assumed that the head injury is pertaining to “that” head and not the “other” one? 😀

@JG: Haha. I agree with you though JG, assuming we’re talking about his actual head, then I think vertigo is the most likely culprit here. That was my initial thought. They did mention that TJ was sick, and that was the reason he was initially removed from a game, which then lead to this mysterious “head injury”. Which makes total sense, because a viral infection can cause inflammation of the vestibular nerve leading to vertigo. I know Slim mentioned a possible neck injury on the pod, but I think vertigo is much more likely, especially given his 2-3 week time table which lines up perfectly with the expected recovery time for an acute case of vertigo, as well as the fact that an “illness” preceded this whole debacle. Bringing him along slowly also makes some sense if he was coming back from acute vertigo, which would explain the low minutes in his first couple games back. The good news is that if vertigo is indeed the culprit here, then there shouldn’t be any residual problems down the road, and our man TJ should be good to go from here on out!! And the 30 mins in his last game are definitely encouraging. So yeah, good call JG! Think you hit the nail on the head with that one!

@JB Gilpin: Haha, well not exactly a Doctor quite yet, still just a med student going into my 3rd year so I got a bit to go, but I try and flex those medical muscles when I can!! Especially when I can apply it to fantasy ball. Because what else is med school for, am I right!?

But yeah, whatever was plaguing TJ, I’m pretty confident it stemmed from that initial “illness” that got him removed from that game a while back, and he’ll be good to go for the rest of the season. Looking forward to see how he does tonight against the 0 and 76ers!! Have an awesome holidays my friend and Merry Christmas!

@JB Gilpin: @Doctor G: 3rd year of med school is good enough! thanks for the insight! I only made it through 2 year of being a pre-med student. Couldn’t handle the dissections oh and yeah, organic chemistry.

Im in a 10er and have Colly. I feel you when you say he is a drop candidate the way he is playing right now but never forget the power of the second half of the season in a contract year. With all that money being shelling out this year it will be quit the motivator.

I actually read an article this year that broke down the stats for NBA players and their performance in a contract year. Yes we know that they typically do better but one thing that stood out is which type of player typically over preforms the most. In the article it data suggested that All-Star type of players in a contract year typically didnt do much better unless it was their last “big contract” aka CP3 but player is Blake statically didnt preform much better. The players that showed the most improvement where role player types. A good example of this is Sefolosha shooting well above his fg% career average and racking up the steals in his contract year.

So coming back to Colly. Yeah hes not doing well at the moment but come the new year dont be surprised if starts heating up and you wished you kept him. This year my team consists of Bledseo, Colly and Jrue in hopes that the turn it up come the fantasy playoffs and bring me home the fantasy gold.

@Bgrizzle: When I say “can go” that doesn’t mean “must drop”. Contract year, is Collison gonna be a King until the end of the season? Would make sense to just dump him to me, have Lawson finish out the year since no one will trade for him, and figure out PG next year. If he is traded, i would doubt he’d be a starter, more a combo guard sixth man on a better team. Do you have a link to this article?

That’s the peril in 10ers though, if you wait on guys, you can get crushed pretty quick. Obviously if you’re doing fine with a good record, then sure, hold away! But it’s harder to wait in standard size 10ers.

Redick is completely different, he’s getting a better role with Blake down now and always been a shooter, I don’t think a contract year somehow makes your FG% go up. Might make you more aggressive, but I don’t think there could be statistical correlation with perimeter shooting. Also he’s actually below what he’s done the past two years right now 🙂

It was something I found while I was in draft mode but I dont remember the link. The article suggested the fg% bump could be correlated to the player making better decisions rather than jacking up shots which.

I see your point in 10ers… I have Colly, Rubio, Jrue and the wait and see is tough. Thank god I won 9-0 one week that has helped me weather the storm.

Haha happy I stayed put after the dime bag from Jrue…. Lol you are a funny dude with these crazy lines. Thanks for the advice! Btw are there any other ways I can support you guys besides buying you a crown? Which I’m doing this week.

@Bearded Bombardier: Hmmmm. A little more rebounds for more dimes? Less TO from Kemba, but more steals than George. Man it’s close, would depend on steals/ast need, if you need steals more and your TO are OK I like it

I’m wondering. How viable is rostering just 1 point guard? I have Curry and Jrue now, but I’m punting assists, so I’m musing on trading jrue for reinforcing non-assist stats. He’s also a more than decent keeper at $13 next year, so I can probably get a great player for him.

Have you ever had lineup problems with that few pgs? I haven’t had problems yet with just 2.

@DORIAN: Thanks man! I like that price for Jrue, but yeah off a nice game, he could bring in something good. I usually draft PG fairly heavy, I am having a team with SF/PF issues though. I have PGs and Cs for days but not a lot of F. I would say as long as your SG are SF as well, or you have a good bit of them, sure it should work!

Yo JB! My team is humming along *knocks on wood*, but any chance you’d drop someone for a gamble on Barton? Feel like TyJo is an option but he’s playing such steady minutes, as is Harkless who gives you a little bit of something everywhere even when he struggles, as is RoLo but THEM BLOCKS. I also worry that Barton will see inconsistent minutes with Harris back and/or get traded to another team’s bench. But we can’t deny the upside isn’t there.

@Not Your Average Joe: Ehhhhh, yeah only one I would consider is Harkless. I was always kinda blah on him and he’s trending down. Seems like a little more scoring will help you, maybe a little? Ehhh I think I would still hold, seems best case scenario is a trade somehow/somewhere where he can have big USG and play 30 MPG and I dunno if he can.

Fcku Powell, I shoulda gone for Lawson instead. He’ll be gone for sure later when our waiver wire runs for the last time this week. What a bummer

I don’t know what I was thinking when I traded Miles for Knight. Lol It won’t be hard for me to drop him though coz I already did that to Nurkic. I’m just going to try out Knight and if his minutes continue to suck I will swap him for Brogdon. And again, I’m dropping Powell the soonest! I could pickup: Tucker, KOQ, Chriss (mah boy)

Crazy to think that Pau went ahead of his brother Marc in most drafts. Ahh I know I had a chance to nab Marc in the 6th, but that foot and the thought of DNPs scared me off, plus I had no idea he could shoot 3s all of a sudden! So I passed him up for GALLO. Dammit! Also no surprise that the guy that got Marc in the 7th round is currently leading our league…Speaking of Pau, I know you’re not a big fan and neither am I, but I desperately need a centre. Would giving up Brandon Knight or Elfrid be too much for him? Ditto for Dirk. Dirk might actually fit me better, since I’ll probably be punting blocks and rebounds here on out, given that I currently have only one centre (Millsap) on my roster. I know the Dirk owner expressed some interest in trading Dirk for Tyreke or Knight. Thanks JB!!

@Doctor G: Sorry JB, got one more question for you if you get the chance. Been floated a potential offer of KAT plus CJ McCollum for KD in my 12 team H2H Keeper league (keep 3). He sends it depends on if he can get a trade for KAT done, and then he’d want to flip KAT to me with CJ for Durant. Right now, my 3 keepers for next year would be KD, Giannis, and Millsap. Is KAT and CJ too little for KD in your opinion? I could sure use a big and 3s, and not like KAT is too shabby of a keeper either.

@Doctor G: Yeah I had em close, it was all that worry with marc’s foot… He was shooting 3s in the preseason though, which had me moving him up. Def wouldn’t do that for Dirk. Given the need, mehhh I don’t love it, but since the need Pau would be OK there. I’d take Dirk over Reke though!

I feel like he’d be a great pairing with whiteside to Lockdown blks. My thought was I may have to go big to get him so like Dipo + Griffin, but I don’t know if that’s too much? Maybe my window to buy him before he becomes a first rounder for many years (which I think he will) closes.

@Nick: @Jake: Well I disagree a little with Jake, he’s got TO issues on a team that’s been awful for so long. Yes he looks great, but Jake’s opinion kinda solidifies why I wouldn’t offer a crazy amount I think he’s being a little overvalued in dyno. Be tough to do Dipo + Griffin with both hurt, but I think that’s too much

@JB Gilpin:
I too disagree with Jake, there’s always something you can offer and managers will always improperly value their players based on need, team fit and overall value.

I thought it was too much as well especially considering I’ve got a winning squad ATM.

Buuuuuut I’ve got something exciting in the works that I just gotta share haha. The Embiid owner wants Lowry, but can’t get him. The Lowry owner is SO CLOSE to accepting a 2 for 1 trade with me for LaVine and and Adams.

My plan is to then flip Lowry + Harkless for Horford + Jabari, which I think I can pull off. BUT my first offer which I think is also possible, is Lowry + Griffin + Harkless for Horford + Embiid + Jabari. The Embiid owner is that dumb, and wants Lowry that bad. God I love fantasy bball!

@Nick: @Jake: @Nick: Sorry catching up a little bit back home, yeah there’s no reason anyone can be untouchable. I had $1 Hassan in REL and traded him bc I got depth and floored with an offer.

Hah lots in the works here! I like that value for Lowry for you, then yeah I like going mad upside for that Embiid route. I dunno if I would do the Horford one, I guess getting Jabari in dyno is nice, but I dunno if he’s gonna get all that much better than right now…

Cody or J Johnson in my 14 cat roto? This combo of volume efficient scoring, brds, 3s and assists from James is awesome. He has the defensive potential but it’s dried up a little of late. Is this a needs based comp, you think? I like Cody because he’ll help with my Obrds, % and hopefully blocks, but JJ would help with my scoring cats, %s and 3s. TOUGH decision. Hell, even Deng is playing great. I know you and @Slim like Cody. I’ll hold him for the game tomorrow against CHI, in which I hope he gets some major burn against that big frontline. I’ll also keep an eye on Len’s mins because he’s a beast on the O brds and blks right now.

Great call on dropping Mudiay for Tyler. Dude really is a legit shot-blocking PG, a la Bled and PBev – an area I’m looking for a little assistance in, which is great. Had a sweet game today.

@JB Gilpin: Just occurred to me that since JJ is putting up decent assist lines from the PF spot, would you rather him over TyJo? Even tho JJ plays a little less, his usage seems to be quite high when he’s on the floor – he has the ball in his hands a lot! Either way, interested to get your take on that.

That’s affirmative @jake! Will see how things shake up when the other guards get healthy, later on. @jb gilpin what about Harrell vs Cody? He can do damage in a 20-25min role and I was a capela owner. We’ll see if J Johnson has another good game today. If Cody doesn’t fare well against a favourable matchup, I may do the swap for Harrell or Johnson..

Hey! In a league that doesn’t count percents. I have no choice but to punt 3s and points given the makeup of my team. Going after securing boards, assists, steals, blocks and hopefully to’s. I’m pretty solid in these cats, especially assists. What do you think about these two trades, my players first…

Lowry and Dieng for Draymond and Howard
Lowry and Dieng for Whiteside and Plumlee

I also have Knight and Parsons who are expendable given what I’m trying to do.

@miles proudfoot: 1. That seems like too much. 2. Eh that does fit, I think I might be OK with that one. Thing with both is Dieng fits so well! Any way you can do #2 with someone else besides Dieng as player #2